Detail

Keywords

Entomology; Molecular Biology; Parasitology; Phylogeny; Phylogeography; Zoonoses

Research group(s)

• Molecular parasitology
  Head: Julia Walochnik
  Research Area: Acanthamoeba infections, amoebae as hosts for bacteria, vector-borne parasites, molecular phylogeny
  Members:
  Julia Walochnik
  Iwona Lesiak-Markowicz
  Martina Köhsler
  Edwin Kniha
  Ursula Fürnkranz
  Alvie Loufouma Mbouaka

Research interests

My current research interests include the clarification of the current and prospective distribution of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in Austria and their relevance as vectors of the protozoan parasites Leishmania spp. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), the causative agents of leishmaniasis. Furthermore, I am interested in up-to-date topics and questions of medical entomology.

Techniques, methods & infrastructure

My expertise comprises morphological and molecular identification of medically relevant arthropods, light- and fluorescence microscopy. PCR and in-house Sanger sequencing.

Phylogenetic analysis including sophisticated handling of various softwares (ClustalX, GeneDoc, MEGAX, BEAST, DNAsp, Popart).

Grants

• Vector-borne diseases in the Einsatzgebieten des Österreichischen Bundesheeres: Kosovo und Bosnien und Herzegowina (BIH) (2021)
  Source of Funding: FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency), FFG FORTE
  Principal Investigator
• Phylogeography of Austrian sand fly populations - where do they come from and where will they go? (2019)
  Source of Funding: OeAW (Austrian Academy of Sciences), DOC-fellowship
  Principal Investigator

Selected publications

1. Kniha, E. et al., 2019. Phlebovirus seroprevalence in Austrian Army personnel returning from missions abroad. Parasites & Vectors, 12(1). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13071-019-3674-6.
2. Kniha, E. et al., 2020. Leishmania spp. seropositivity in Austrian soldiers returning from the Kosovo. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 132(1-2), pp.47. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00508-019-01598-5
3. Kniha, E. et al., 2020. Integrative Approach to Phlebotomus mascittii Grassi, 1908: First Record in Vienna with New Morphological and Molecular Insights. Pathogens, 9(12), p.1032. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens9121032.
4. Kniha, E. et al., 2021. Phlebotomus (Adlerius) simici NITZULESCU, 1931: first record in Austria and phylogenetic relationship with other Adlerius species. Parasites & Vectors, 14(1). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04482-8.
5. Kniha, E. et al., 2021. Ecology, seasonality and host preferences of Austrian Phlebotomus (Transphlebotomus) mascittii Grassi, 1908, populations. Parasites & Vectors, 14(1). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04787-2.